PHILOSOPHY 490 – Senior Seminar - Spring 2010 -
Janice Capel Anderson - Office: Morrill 405 - Philosophy Office Phone: 885-7107 - E-mail: jcanders@uidaho.edu - Office Hours are MWF 9:20-10:20 AM and many other times by appointment.
*****The instructor may alter this syllabus in whatever ways she deems necessary. And, we will adjust for student interest, etc. Be sure to check your emails for additional information
Textbooks
Damien Keown, Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, first published 1996 - reissued 2000, paper. ISBN: 0192853864 Used $9.25 at the bookstore. online you may be able to find used or new at cheaper prices. Be sure to factor in shipping costs, however.
K. Turabian et al, Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 7th ed. Paper ISBN: 9780226823379 - available used at bookstore for $13.25; online you may be able to find used or new at cheaper prices. Be sure to factor in shipping costs, however.
Electronic Reserve: http://db.lib.uidaho.edu/ereserve The user name is reserve. The password is Ac7ten Some browsers require you to type these in rather than simply cut and paste.
Requirements - This course is the capstone course for your Philosophy Major. One focus of the class is the final polishing of your oral and written critical and analytical skills. The other focus is the subject matter. I will lead and structure the seminar–and, of course, grade your work. As a seminar, however, the primary responsibility for the course falls on the seminar members. Each seminar member will be responsible for the following:
1. Reading, discussion, and attendance. ( 70 points). Each student should read and analyze all the material to be discussed before class and bring all assigned materials to class. He or she should attend each class and participate in class discussion, respectfully and thoughtfully
2. Leading two class discussion sessions. (50 points; 25 points each.) This will include writing reading and class discussion questions to be posted on the web at least five days prior to the class. (You should email me the questions in MS Word or WordPerfect six days before the class and I will post the questions. Although not absolutely necessary, it would be a good idea to review the questions with me before coming up with the final version.
3. Writing four essays. (100 points.) I will suggest the topics, but you may always propose a topic of your own. These essays should be about three pages long, word-processed, 1 to 1and 1/4 inch margins, 12 point font, double-spaced. I will give you further directions via link on the course website. There will be five opportunities for essays.
4. Major Paper - This paper will involve several stages, each of which will be graded. The first will be the production of an annotated bibliography and outline (25 points). The second will be a rough draft of the paper. (50 points). The third will be the final draft due during the time scheduled for the final exam. (125 points) .
5. Peer Review. (20 points). We will divide the class into pairs and each will peer review the major paper rough draft of his or her partner. Further directions will be available on the class website.
6. Class presentations. (50 points). Each student will make a presentation on the topic of his or her paper–although you should definitely not read your paper to the class. Further directions will be available on the class website.
Policies
Academic Honesty including Plagiarism - At this stage in your career you should be committed to academic honesty and familiar with its requirements. Students who cheat or plagiarize or commit any other form of academic dishonesty will receive at a minimum a zero on the work in question. See the General Catalog O-2. Action may also be taken in the Student Judicial system in accord with procedures outlined in the Faculty-Staff Handbook. For the Dean of Students' Academic Integrity site which includes UI Policies, and Student Academic Dishonesty Resources see http://www.students.uidaho.edu/default.aspx?pid=45708. I will assume that you have read and understood G. Harvey, Writing with Sources. If you have any questions, please e-mail me or see me for help.
Computer Policy - Each student is expected to: 1. Maintain a UI e-mail account and check this account regularly. From time to time I may send the class e-mail using the Registrar’s system. Please check the e-mail address and other personal contact information in the Registrar’s system to make sure that your current e-mail address, telephone number, etc. is entered. 2. Be able to use either Firefox, Internet Explorer or an equivalent browser. Check course website regularly. 3. Use a word processing program and maintain two electronic files (e.g., two diskettes, a hard-drive copy and a diskette copy, hard drive and flash drive, etc.) of all work submitted. Files should be saved until the final grade is received. 4. Check mid-term and final grades on the web and maintain printouts. 5. Use the library's electronic reserve system and article databases
Assignment and Grade Record Keeping Policy -Students are expected to save all graded work until final grades are recorded with the registrar and checked by the student.
Reasonable Accommodation - Students who require accommodation should notify the instructor the first week of class. All accommodations must be approved through Disability Support Services located in the Idaho Commons Building, Rm. 333 - 885-7200 - email at dss@uidaho.edu. I am happy to work with you and with DSS. If you need accommodations, please make sure that I know. I will do my best to support you in your work.
Late Assignments - Unexcused late assignments will drop one letter grade for each day they are late. Doctor's excuses, court summons, letter from athletic department, instructor's letter concerning UI field trip are acceptable. The Dean of Students Office can provide me with written notification of deaths in the family, serious illness, etc. that you were not able to inform me of in advance. Excuses will be accepted at the instructor’s discretion.
Attendance and Class Participation - Absences due to university scheduled events such as athletic events in which one is participating, field trips, illnesses, family problems, court dates, military duty, etc. should be reported to me in advance of class if at all possible. Doctor's excuses, copy of court summons, letter from athletic department, instructor's letter concerning UI field trip, and dates of military service letter copies are acceptable. The Dean of Students Office can provide me with written notification of deaths in the family, serious illness, etc. Other than officially approved university excuses, excuses will be accepted at the instructor’s discretion. Documentation is required. Students will be called on to participate regularly. This includes such things as individual verbal participation and small group work. Because of the nature of the class, attendance is essential. Students with two or more unexcused absences will receive an F.
Course Schedule
Jan 13 - Opening - Discussion of Course - Getting Acquainted - Discussion of Aldo Leopold, "The Land Ethic" - Reading and Discussion Questions
Jan 20 - More on Environmental Ethics
Andrew Brennan and Norva Y.S. Lo, “Environmental Ethics” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy at http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-environmental/
E-reserve: Arne Naess, "The Deep Ecology Movement: Some Philosophical Aspects," in G. Sessions, ed., Deep Ecology for the 21st Century (Shambhala, 1995), pp. 64-84. Discussion Questions
Anthony Weston, “Beyond Instrinsic Value: Pragmatism in Environmental Ethics” Environmental Ethics 7 (1985) on e-reserve. Discussion Questions
Essay One DUE on January 20 by 2 PM - we will make this due on Friday since we haven't had all the discussion questions up because of the short timing from the first class.
Jan 27 - Ecological Feminism
Karen Warren "The Power and Promise of Ecological Feminism Revisited" in Environmental Philosophy from Animal Rights to Radical Ecology edited by Michael E. Zimmerman et al. 4th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice-Hall, 2005, pages 252-279 on e-reserve Discussion Questions
Cuomo, Chris, "So As to Flourish: The Goals of Ecological Feminism" in Feminism and Ecological Communities: An Ethic of Flourishing, pp. 62-80 available on e-reserve and as an e-book in the UI Library Catalog Internet HQ1233 .C86 1998 Discussion Questions
Feb 3 - Christopher Preston selections from Grounding
Knowledge: Environmental Philosophy, Epistemology and Place.
Essay Two DUE on Friday February 5th by 2 PM
Feb 10 Continental Environmental - both articles on e-reserve http://db.lib.uidaho.edu/ereserve