PHIL 1 - Spring 2021 - A Short Introduction to Philosophy

Waitlist and Add Code Policy

Waitlist: For the first five days of instruction, students are automatically added to the class from the wait list as spaces open up. No add codes will be distributed before then. You may find that your position on the wait list changes over time. We have no control over this. The online system automatically prioritizes certain students (for instance, seniors), and will place them ahead of you on the wait list.
Getting Add Codes: Add codes are distributed only by TAs, and none are given out until after the fifth day of instruction (which is when the wait list stops automatically adding students). TAs may give priority to students who have shown a special commitment to the course, or have especially good reasons for requesting an add code. Contact information for TAs is available above.
Switching Sections: Contact the TA for the section you’d like to get into and request an add code. There is no guarantee that the TA will prioritize students who are already enrolled in the class and need to switch sections, ahead of others requesting add codes for their sections.

NOTE: THIS VERSION OF THE SYLLABUS IS TENTATIVE AND WILL NOT BE FINALIZED UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF CLASSES.

This course exposes students to a sampling of topics addressed by philosophers, focusing on the arguments used by philosophers to address complex and controversial claims.

By the end of the course, in addition to knowing something about the arguments that have been provided for and against prominent philosophical views, you are expected to be able to apply basic tools of argumentation, argument criticism, and conceptal clarification in your own writing.

We will not be covering all the chapters in the book, nor will we do them in order. The order of reading is Introduction-1-2-5-3-6-8-9-10. You should also read Appendices 1 and 2 by the end of week 3 of the course.

Tue/Thu lectures will highlight aspects of the readings, provide important context, and introduce more ideas about how to respond to the arguments presented in the textbook.

Wed/Thu/Fri discussion sections will elaborate and clarify the main topics and will work on applying the argumentative and analytical tools used in philosophy to develop your own positions on the issues covered in lecture and the book.

Concerning note-taking and studying styles, you are advised to read the following two articles from the cognitive science of learning.

Grades will be based on classroom quizzes administered in lectures and discussion sections via iClicker (10% of grade), an in-person midterm exam on Monday April 30 (20%), a paper due by 8 a.m. Monday May 27 (35%), and an in-person final exam on Monday June 10 12-3 p.m. (35%). There is also an optional paper proposal deadline on Monday May 13 to allow you to receive feedback on the approach you will take. This deadline is optional unless you want to propose a topic that is not among the provided prompts. Prompts will be provided immediately after the midterm exam.

Exact formats of the midterm and final exam will be announced one week before each exam, but you should be prepared to answer multiple choice and short-answer questions about anything in the assigned readings or covered in lectures and sections prior to the exam.

Lecture Times/Location and Primary Instructor Information
(Prof.) Colin Allen <colinallen@ucsb.edu> Lectures: Tue/Thu 12:30- 1:45 ILP 1302 Office hours: Tue 2-3 in South Hall 5719 and by appointment
Teaching Assistants and Section Meeting Times/Locations
Katherina Gontaryuk <kgontaryuk@ucsb.edu> Sections: Wed 2:00- 2:50 ARTS 1349 and Wed 3:00-3:50 ARTS 1349 Office hours: Wed 1-2 in South Hall 5701 and by appointment	Wolfe Randall <rwrandall@ucsb.edu> Sections: Thu 3:00- 3:50 ILP 4107 and Thu 4:00- 4:50 ILP 4211 Office hours: Tue 10:45-11:45 in South Hall 5703 and by appointment
Tiffani Thomason <tthomason@umail.ucsb.edu> Sections: Thu 5:00- 5:50 ILP 4207 and Thu 6:00- 6:50 ILP 4101 Office hours: Thu 3:30-4:30 and by appointment in South Hall 5707	Jessica Wood <j_wood@umail.ucsb.edu> Sections: Fri 12:00-12:50 ILP 3107 and Fri 1:00- 1:50 ILP 3107 Office hours: Mon 2:00-4:00 in South Hall 5707

Late papers will be penalized 5 points after the first 24 hours (i.e. receipt after 8 a.m. Tuesday May 28), then one point per additional 24 hour delay. Late papers will not be accepted at all after Friday June 7.

Various aspects of class participation will require you to use iClicker on a mobile device. See UCSB's iClicker Cloud for Students guide for instructions on how to set up your device.

This reading schedule may be adjusted at any time. You will be alerted to changes via Canvas Announcements.

Date	Topic	Readings / Assignments
Week 1
Tue 04/02	Welcome & Course Overview	Syllabus
Thu 04/04	The Problem of Evil	Appendix A + Ch 1, §§1-3
W-R-F Sections	Validity & Soundness of Arguments	Introduction §§1-4 + Appendix A §§1-2
Week 2
Tue 04/09	The Problem of Evil	Ch1 §§4-8
Thu 04/11	Betting on God	Ch2 §§1-3
W-R-F Sections	Argumentative Strategies	Introduction §§5-7
Week 3
Tue 04/16	Betting on God	Ch2 §§4-6
Thu 04/18	No Freedom? (Guest lecture by Prof. Adina Roskies)	Ch5 all §§
W-R-F Sections	Philosophical Writing / Philosophy of Religion	Appendix B §§1-2 / Chs 1 & 2
Week 4
Tue 04/23	No Freedom?	Ch5 all §§
Thu 04/25	review	Chs. 1, 2 & 5, Appendices A and B, all lecture materials
W-R-F Sections	Free Will + review	Chs. 1, 2 & 5, Appendices A and B, all lecture materials
Week 5
Tue 04/30	exam	MIDTERM EXAM
Thu 05/02	What Makes You You?	Appendix B + Ch3
W-R-F Sections	Philosophical Writing	Appendix B §§3-4
Week 6
Tue 05/07	What Makes You You?	Ch3
Thu 05/09	Do You Know Anything?	Ch6
W-R-F Sections	Writing + Metaphysics of Self
Week 7
Tue 05/14	Do You Know Anything?	Ch6
Thu 05/16	Abortion Ethics	Ch8
W-R-F Sections	Writing + Epistemology
Week 8
Mon 05/20		PAPER PROPOSAL DUE (SEMI-OPTIONAL)
Tu 05/21	Abortion Ethics	Ch8
Thu 05/23	Should You Eat Animals?	Ch9
W-R-F Sections	Applied Ethics
Week 9
Mon 05/27 (9 a.m.)		PAPER DUE
Tue 05/28	Should You Eat Animals?	Ch9
Thu 05/30	What Makes Things Right?	Ch10
W-R-F Sections	Metaethics
Week 10
Tue 06/04	What Makes Things Right?	Ch10
Thu 06/06	review
W-R-F Sections	Metaethics + review
Finals Week
Mon 06/10	exam	FINAL EXAM 12:00-3:00 p.m.

Missed Assignments

You may request to make up for missed exams or other assignments only for University-recognized officially excused absences:

For predictable absences due to competitive events, required activities in other classes, etc., documentation must be provided at least two weeks prior to the absence.
UCSB is committed to providing reasonable academic accommodations to allow students observances of their religious beliefs. Whenever possible, students will be given reasonable time to make up any academic assignment that is missed due to participation in a religious observance. It is your responsibility to inform me as soon as possible of any intended absences for religious observances, no less than two weeks in advance.
For genuine emergencies, illnesses, or deaths in the family, written documentation must be provided when you return to class.

Statement about Academic Misconduct

Students in this course are obliged to comply with UCSB's Academic Integrity Policies. Any student suspected of violating this obligation for any reason during the quarter will be referred via the Academic Integrity procedures detailed at the above link. When you submit assignments with your name on them in this course, you are signifying that the work contained therein is all yours, unless otherwise cited or referenced. Any ideas or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged. If you are unsure about the expectations for completing an assignment or taking a test or exam, be sure to seek clarification beforehand. Use of ChatGPT or similar generative AI products will be discussed in class, and may not be used unless you are explicitly given permission to do so, and never without explicit acknowledgment of its use.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and UCSB's Disabled Students Program for information about accomodations and services.

The University of California, in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and University policy, prohibits discrimination against or harassment of any person at the University on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, or age. For more information see https://eodp.ucsb.edu/resources/policies.

I ask that everyone in the class strive to help ensure that other members of this class can learn in a supportive and respectful environment. If there are instances of the aforementioned issues, you may contact the Title IX Office, by calling 805-893-2701 or visiting https://titleix.ucsb.edu/. You may also choose to report this to a faculty/staff member; they may also be required to communicate about such issues to the University’s Office of Diversity and Incusion. If you wish to maintain complete confidentiality, you may also contact University Counseling & Psychological Services .

Statement on Classroom Recording

To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not record classroom lectures, discussion and/or activities without the advance written permission of the instructor, and any such recording properly approved in advance can be used solely for the student’s own private use.

Materials provided for the course may be protected by copyright. United States copyright law, 17 USC section 101, et seq., in addition to University policy and procedures, prohibit unauthorized duplication or retransmission of course materials. See Library of Congress Copyright Office and the University Copyright Policy.

PHIL 1 — A Short Introduction to Philosophy — Spring 2024

Spring 2024 Syllabus and Schedule