PHIL 1 – Summer 2023 – 30076 – Online & Self-Paced

Instructor: Eric Gerlach: ericgerlach@gmail.com

Course Description: Introduction to major ideas and thinkers of Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Chinese, Islamic and European philosophy in the history of human thought.

Course Material: A) watch the videos in the YouTube playlist below as you B) read and follow along with each lecture link down the page, C) read the online readings assigned at the top of each lecture page, if there are any (No textbook or reader required) and, most importantly, if you want a passing grade, D) complete the four assignments by due dates listed.  Email all assignments and essays to me at ericgerlach@gmail.com.

Office Hours: I will begin hosting optional Zoom meetings every Friday from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm.  Please email me for that week’s zoom link, as well as to set up additional meetings, online or in person.  I highly encourage you to meet with me at least once or twice during the class, either at the meeting or individually.

Lectures: We will work through the material as we go, covering the topics in the order of these links to the lecture notes and videos.  Please watch the video lectures in the playlist below as well.  If you are confused where we are in the class, or what material we are reading, please email me.

Work though the lecture links, each with videos, reading along, at your own pace, but I would aim to cover the ancient philosophy, Egypt through China, by July 1st, completing the first two essays, and then work through the Islamic & European philosophy by the end of the course.

Egypt: Hardjedef & Ptahhotep

Babylon: Pessimism & Theodicy

India: Hinduism, the Jains, Buddhism,

Greece: Poets & Epics, Heraclitus, Socrates, Plato & The Stoics

China: Confucianism and Daoism, & Zen (Bodhidharma & Huineng)

Islam: Al Farabi, Avicenna & Averroes

Europe (France): Descartes

Britain: Hume & Locke

Germany: Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche & Wittgenstein

France: Sartre & Existentialism, Foucault & Poststructuralism

& Lyotard, Baudrillard & Postmodernism

Assignments: Four essays for the class (100% of your grade), the first 1 page (10%), the second 2 pages (15%), the third 4 pages (25%), and the fourth 8 pages (50%), typed, double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, and emailed to ericgerlach@gmail.com.  Focus on an idea we cover, clearly state and argue for your position with evidence, empathy, and examples from your life, history or fiction.  If you wish to cite sources (you do not need to cite my website, as I am a bit familiar with it) you can include the title and page number of the work, in brackets, in the body of the text, with no need for footnotes or a bibliography.  Do not summarize more than is necessary, and spend most of the space on your own argument and examples.

ALL WORK MUST BE TURNED IN BY MIDNIGHT, THURSDAY JULY 27th.

Here is a video with my thoughts on how to write a philosophy essay: https://youtu.be/kAfKtWIlPII

1st Essay – For the first, single-page essay, I want you to try to focus your own philosophical beliefs about how truth and the mind work into the page as simply as possible.  If you have trouble, try starting with the Egyptians & Babylonians, and react to what you think this shows about thought.  I want you to express your ideas so you can see what does and doesn’t change as we go.  Don’t worry about format, or citing examples, or the reading, but rather try to just write.  I will not be grading this harshly, and it is more proof of participation and an opening exercise. Due Date: Sunday, June 25th

2nd Essay – For the second, 2-page essay, I want you to consider the philosophical debates from ancient Egypt, Babylon & India, focusing on one particular core thinker and idea, such as Maat, Jain nonviolence and karma, Buddhist codependent arising, or others.  Present the argument for the point, and yours for or against it.  What do you argue, and why? Due Date: Sunday, July 2nd

3rd Essay – For the third, 4-page essay, I want you to select a philosopher who you think displays a particular insight or idea from ancient Greece or China, presenting the argument for the idea of the thinker as best you can, and yours for or against it.  Ideas you can pick include, but are not limited to, Heraclitus’ logos, Plato’s cave, Daoist wuwei, Confucius’ act with intent, Stoic submission to fate, and Zen non-duality of mind. Due Date: Sunday, July 16th

4th Essay – For the final 8 page essay for the class, I want you to select an Islamic or European philosopher and idea, presenting the argument of the thinker and your thoughts and argument about their argument.  Ideas you can pick include, but are not limited to, Avicenna’s floating man, Descartes’ dualism, Hume’s billiard table, Locke’s blank slate, Hegel’s master and slave, Nietzsche’s truth as interpretation, Sartre’s waiter, Wittgenstein’s oven, and Baudrillard’s hyperreality. Due Date: Thursday, July 27th

Grading Rubric: 100 – This is outstanding work, 90 – This is good work that shows you put thought and time in, but more, 80 – This is on the right path, but clearly needs a bit more, 70 – This is somewhat wrong and off, and 0 – 60 – You are clearly phoning it in before the telegraph.

Here is a video with my thoughts on how to write a philosophy essay.

This class is acceptable for credit at UC and CSU. It counts towards GE AA/AS area 3; CSU area C2; and IGETC area 3. It can be used as an elective for the Liberal Arts with an Emphasis in Arts and Humanities, Associate in Arts Degree Program and the Liberal Arts: Intersegmental General Education Transfer (IGETC) Certificate of Achievement and the Global Studies AA Degree.

Student Learning Outcomes:  Upon completion of this class, students will be able to do the following:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of major philosophers.
  2. Analyze & evaluate philosophical positions through argument that displays individual perspective.

General Student Requirements:  Students are expected to come to class prepared to ask questions and participate in discussions. All readings and assignments should be completed by the beginning of class on the day they are listed here. This class is run as a lecture/discussion course.  Students are responsible for all class material (even if they miss class). If you miss class, it is strongly advised that you ask a classmate for notes. It is your responsibility to ask if you missed something; it is not the instructor’s responsibility to remind you. Please read through the syllabus and plan ahead.

Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Plagiarists, intentional or inadvertent, will receive a zero on the assignment in question; repeat offenders will get an F for the course and will be subject to college disciplinary action. Students are encouraged to review plagiarism policies in the current Vista College catalog.  Attendance is mandatory. If you miss more than five classes, you will receive an F in the course. (Note: I do not distinguish between “excused” and “unexcused” absences; if you miss more than five classes, for any reason, you cannot pass the class.)

Disabled Student Program and Services (DSPS) are provided for any enrolled student who has a verified disability that creates an educational limitation that prevents the student from fully benefiting from classes without additional support services or instruction. Please let the instructor know if you require any support services or would like more information about DSPS.

This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class. Additional handouts of required readings may also be added.