PHO6447 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
3 Credit Hours
Student Level:
This course is open to students on the college level in either Freshman or Sophomore year.
Catalog Description:
PHO6447 - Introduction to Philosophy (3 hrs.)
[KRSN PHL1010]
This course provides students with critical thinking skills and analytical tools, to be applied to questions of knowledge, free will, metaphysics, ethics, the mind-body problem, and others.
Course Classification:
Lecture
Prerequisites:
None
Controlling Purpose:
This course is designed to provide students with an appreciation of the value of philosophical thought for their global perspectives as world class citizens. The course will investigate the major contributions of a range of philosophers, weigh their arguments and draw conclusions. In the process, each student is invited to evaluate and create his/her own world views.
Objectives of the course:
- To investigate the major contributions of a range of Philosophers
- To understand the basis of currently held ideas and systems of thought
- Freedom to choose and develop as individual thinkers
Competencies To Be Developed:
Upon completion of the course the student will…
- Understand the fields of philosophical thought and the basic issue in each field
- Have learned to analyze and evaluate the various answers to major philosophical issues.
- Have evaluated his/her own world view and have moved toward refining his/her beliefs
- Have learned to express himself/herself clearly and succinctly both orally and in writing.
Core Outcomes:
The learning outcomes and competencies detailed in this course meet, or exceed the learning outcomes and competencies specified by the Kansas Core Outcomes Project for this course, as sanctioned by the Kansas Board of Regents.
Unit Outcomes for Criterion Based Evaluation:
The following outline defines the minimum core content not including the final examination period. Instructors may add other material as time allows.
UNIT 1: Philosophical Tools
Outcomes: Upon Completion of this unit, students will be able to successfully…
- Identify and discuss the main branches of philosophy, and the relationship between philosophy and other disciplines
- Understand and apply philosophical methodologies
UNIT 2: What Do We Know?
Outcomes: Upon Completion of this unit, students will be able to successfully…
- Define and discuss epistemology
- Investigate, evaluate, and apply various theories of knowledge, including but not limited to skepticism, empiricism and rationalism
- Discuss, interpret and debate classic and contemporary primary works in epistemology
UNIT 3: Free Will
Outcomes: Upon Completion of this unit, students will be able to successfully…
- Define and discuss the problem in considering free will
- Investigate, evaluate and apply various theories of free will, including but not limited to hard determinism, indeterminism, soft determinism and libertarianism
- Discuss, interpret and debate classic and contemporary primary works on the subject of free will
UNIT 4: Identity
Outcomes: Upon Completion of this unit, students will be able to successfully…
- Define and discuss the problem in considering personal identity
- Investigate, evaluate, and apply various theories of identify, including but not limited to the illusion theory, the soul theory, and body theory, and the memory theory
- Discuss, interpret and debate classical and contemporary primary works on the subject of personal identity.
UNIT 5: Mind Body Problem
Outcomes: Upon Completion of this unit, students will be able to successfully…
- Define and discuss the issue comprising the mind-body problem
- Investigate, evaluate, and apply various theories of identity, including but not limited to dualism, physicalism, behaviorism, functionalism, and identity theory
- Discuss, interpret and debate current neurological, psychological and other research relevant to the mind body problem
- Discuss, interpret, and debate classic and contemporary primary works on the mind-body problem
UNIT 6: Does God Exist?
Outcomes: Upon Completion of this unit, students will be able to successfully…
- Distinguish between faith and reason, and between knowledge and belief
- Distinguish the meaning and usages of various definitions of the supernatural
- Discuss, interpret, and debate arguments both for and against classical theism
- Discuss, interpret, and debate classical and contemporary primary works on the question of the supernatural
UNIT 7: Ethics
Outcomes: Upon Completion of this unit, students will be able to successfully…
- Define ethics as a branch of philosophy, between knowledge and belief
- Investigate, evaluate and apply various theories of ethics, including but not limited to relativism, divine command, utilitarianism, duty-based ethics and virtue ethics
- Discuss, interpret and debate classic and contemporary primary works in ethics
Textbook:
Contact Bookstore for current textbook.
Attendance Policy:
Students should adhere to the attendance policy outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Grading Policy:
The grading policy will be outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Maximum class size:
Based on classroom occupancy
Course Time Frame:
The U.S. Department of Education, Higher Learning Commission, and the Kansas Board of Regents define credit hour and have specific regulations that the college must follow when developing, teaching, and assessing the educational aspects of the college. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. The number of semester hours of credit allowed for each distance education or blended hybrid courses shall be assigned by the college based on the amount of time needed to achieve the same course outcomes in a purely face-to-face format.
Refer to the following policies:
402.00 Academic Code of Conduct
263.00 Student Appeal of Course Grades
403.00 Student Code of Conduct
Disability Services Program:
Cowley College, in recognition of state and federal laws, will accommodate a student with a documented disability. If a student has a disability which may impact work in this class which requires accommodations, contact the Disability Services Coordinator.
DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR THE OFFICIAL COURSE PROCEDURE CONTACT ACADEMIC AFFAIRS.
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