Philosophy 350

The course has an introductory chapter and the remaining nine units are divided into three parts, each of which is divided into three units.

Each time you are ready to begin work on a unit, turn to the Study Guide. The Study Guide provides learning objectives and an introduction to the subject matter in each unit. The Study Guide stands in for what would be an ‘in class’ lecture and discussion if this course were being offered on a university campus. As such, it provides considerable help in interpreting the reading assignments and making connections between them. The Study Guide also presents, at key points along the way, Study Questions which will further assist you in assimilating the information presented, analysing it and making connections between the many ideas considered. As it leads you through the readings, the Study Guide also takes opportunities to introduce you to techniques in philosophical argumentation as these are employed by the figures covered in the course. The Study Questions often give you a chance to practice these techniques in your own writing and prepare you for the course assignments.

While the Study Guide does review and expand on the content of the reading assignments in many cases, it is no substitute for reading the assigned selections from your course text and the Reading File. All the commentary in the Study Guide assumes that you have read the original material. As the course proceeds, there is less and less direct attention to the details of the readings because it is expected that you are assimilating the material on your own. The assignments also presume increasing degrees of independence in regards to understanding the readings in the course text. It is extremely important to note that acquiring the reading and comprehension skills involved will require practice. The Study Questions are also designed to encourage increasing independence of analysis and reasoning. Your facility in answering them will thus be a measure of how well you are achieving the course objectives. Whenever you experience difficulties or require guidance, contact your tutor.

The “Recommended Study Schedule” in the Student Manual indicates how long, at a minimum, most students will need to spend on each unit in order to finish the course comfortably and successfully in the allotted time.

There are three course assignments: argument summaries, a short essay, and a final examination. The section of the Student Manual entitled “Evaluation for Credit” gives more detailed information about these written assignments.