Syllabus: Philosophy 1001

Syllabus: Philosophy 1001

UMD Department of Philosophy

Temple of Theseus, Athens Agora

Instructor: Dr. Eve Browning

Office: 307 ABAH

Course Description: Philosophy 1001: Problems of Philosophy introduces students to some of the most fundamental issues in the history of philosophy: what is the meaning of life? What is a good life for human beings? What is real in the universe, and how can we know it? Is there a God, and could the existence of a god be proven? Are there spiritual realities beyond this material world? Can the senses be trusted to give us knowledge? What is personal identity? In this course, we will study six very different philosophers who come at some or all of these issues from widely varying perspectives.

Outcomes of this course for the serious student will be:

- Improved powers of intellectual analysis and clear thinking

- Enhanced appreciation for the complexities of existence

- Higher tolerance for spirited debate and disagreement

- Further development of a personal philosophy of life

- Embodiment of all of the above in a number of course projects (further details below).

Required readings: (all in UMD bookstore)

Plato: Five Dialogues

Marcus Aurelius: Meditations

Chuang-Tzu: The Inner Chapters

Machiavelli: The Prince

Descartes: Meditations

Tolstoy:What is Art?

Course Requirements:

1. Attendance and participation: 10%

2. Tests (averaged): 40%

3. Projects (averaged)*: 30%

4. Final Exam: 20%

* A word about the projects: Each book we will read has a project associated with it. These are designed to deepen your philosophical understanding of the relevant philosopher’s word in specific ways. They are also designed to be enjoyable and to expand your philosophical skills. Each student will complete three from the list of six; project #1 is required of everyone, but choices are open after that.

Project List:

Project #1: SOCRATIC VIDEO. Working either in a small group of fellow-students in this class, or on your own with a friend or friends from outside of our class, create a 3-5 minute video of a conversation in the style of Socrates. One actor will play the part of Socrates, another his conversation partner. You will discuss a Socratic or Platonic question such as: What is friendship? What is love? Are wise people happier than fools? Etc. Videotapes will be viewed in class.

Project #2: JOURNAL IN THE STYLE OF MARCUS AURELIUS. For two weeks, spend some time each day writing a philosophical journal. In your journal, you will record your philosophical thoughts, problems that puzzled you in the course of the day, theories about these, ways you addressed these problems when they arose, mental disturbances and their remedies, etc. Design a themed cover page for the journal and turn it in at the end of the two weeks.

Project #3: MEDITATION IN A ZEN MODE. Spend at least five minutes a day for one week doing Zen meditation around themes raised by Chuang-Tzu. Create a meditation space and time that are conducive: use music, incense, a candle, (we are westernizing Zen meditation but that’s OK), whatever helps. At the end of the week, report the specifics of your space and time, the thoughts and images that occurred to you during and after meditation, and any insights you achieved.

Project #4: MACHIAVELLIAN SHORT STORY: Write a short story in which at least one person behaves in the way the Machiavelli believes political rulers should behave. Develop an interesting conflict around this character, and show how it could test Machiavelli’s theory of human psychology and leadership. Video option available as alternative to print medium on this project.

Project #5: CARTESIAN INTERVIEW: Interview a person not enrolled in a philosophy class, asking them questions drawn from Descartes: Can you trust your senses? Can you prove that you aren’t dreaming? Can you know that you are not a brain in a tank being stimulated by a sadistic scientist to have all your current beliefs? Can you prove that God exists? Etc. Record your conversation and edit it into a nice dialogue format.

Project #6: WORK OF ART: Create a painting, drawing, sculpture, musical composition, etc. which reflects Tolstoy’s theory that “Art is expression”. Design this art work as a gift for someone you care about. Make the art work an expression of that care.

Schedule of readings, tests, and projects:

Week 1 Socrates and Plato, the origins of western philosophy.

Read: From Plato, Five Dialogues, “Apology” and “Crito”.

Week 2 Plato continued. Read from Five Dialogues the “Phaedrus”.

Week 3 PROJECT #1 DUE. Video viewing M &W; test 1 Friday

Week 4 Marcus Aurelius. Read Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

Week 5 Marcus Aurelius continued. Finish the book this week.

PROJECT #2 DUE

Week 6 Eastern philosophy introduced. Read Chuang-Tzu, The Inner Chapters, as much as you can. Test 2 Friday

Week 7 Chuang-Tzu continued; finish the book this week.

Week 8 PROJECT #3 DUE. No new reading, compare eastern and western philosophies. Video.

SPRING BREAK MARCH 18-22

Week 9 Machiavelli, introducing political thought. Read The Prince.

Week 10 Machiavelli continued. Finish the book; Test 3 Friday.

Week 11 Introducing Descartes. Read from Meditations, Meditations 1 & 2. PROJECT #4 DUE MONDAY

Week 12 Descartes, Meditations 3 & 4. .

Week 13 Descartes, Meditations 5-6. TEST 4 FRIDAY

Week 14 Introducing philosophy of art. Tolstoy, What is Art? Read sections to be assigned. PROJECT #5 DUE

Week 15 Tolstoy continued. PROJECT #6 DUE

FINAL EXAM:

See Course Policies Link for the policies governing this course.