Historical Development of Philosophy

Course Term: Fall Ahead 1 2021, August 30 - October 18


Instructor:

Anthony Pasqualoni
Adjunct Instructor
Department of Philosophy
pasqualonia@sacredheart.edu


Course Description and Learning Outcomes:

Students will gain an understanding of the broad narrative of Western philosophy by studying texts from significant philosophers in several historical periods.

Learning Outcomes:

1. The student will understand and engage representative examples of philosophical questioning and argumentation from several major periods in the history of Western philosophy.

2. The student will apply critical thinking competences to philosophical problems and texts.


Required Texts:

Print:

Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo
by Plato (Author), John M. Cooper (Editor), G. M. A. Grube (Translator)
Hackett Publishing Company; 2nd edition (October 1, 2002). ISBN-13: 978-0872206335

The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories
by Leo Tolstoy (Author), Richard Pevear (Translator), Larissa Volokhonsky (Translator)
Publisher: Vintage; First Vintage edition (October 5, 2010). ISBN-13: 978-0307388865

Additional texts will be provided online

Course Schedule:

I. Ancient Philosophy: Weeks 1-2

Week 1 Aug. 30-Sept. 3: Read and discuss the general introduction (pp. ix-x) and the Apology (pp. 21-44) in Plato: Five Dialogues.

Week 2 Sept. 6-10: Read and discuss Meno (pp. 58-92) in Plato: Five Dialogues.

II. Medieval Philosophy: Week 3

Week 3 Sept. 13-17: Read and discuss the excerpt from The Alchemy of Happiness by al-Ghazali (text will be provided online).

III. Modern Philosophy: Weeks 4-6

Week 4 Sept. 20-24: Read and discuss The Death of Ivan Ilyich in The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories by Tolstoy (pp. 39-91).

Week 5 Sept. 27-Oct. 1: Read and discuss the excerpt from The Destiny of Man by Nikolai Berdyaev (text will be provided online).

Week 6 Oct. 4-Oct. 8: Read and discuss “Essay on the Concept of Reading” by Simone Weil (text will be provided online).

Week 7 Oct. 11-Oct. 15: Final Exam

Oct. 18: Essay due

Grading:

Discussion 1: 6%
Discussion 2: 6%
Discussion 3: 6%
Discussion 4: 6%
Discussion 5: 6%
Discussion 6: 6%
Essay: 34%
Final Exam: 30%

The University grading scale is:

100–93 A / 92–90 A- / 89–87 B+ / 86–83 B / 82–80 B- / 79–77 C+ / 76–73 C / 72-70 C- / 69–67 D+ / 66–60 D / 59 and below F


Essay:

The essay will be due during the final week. Details and topics will be posted at least two weeks before the due date.

There are no extra-credit assignments. No credit will be given for assignments or exams submitted after the last day of class.


Discussions:

Unless otherwise stated, each discussion opens on Monday morning and closes on Saturday at noon. Instructions and a grading rubric have been posted on the Discussion Guidelines page. Partial credit will be given for late discussion posts. No credit will be given for posts submitted after a discussion closes. Each discussion closes on Saturday.


Office Hours:

Office hours are Tues. 8-9 am and by appointment — we can talk through video or phone. Send an e-mail to set up a time.


Academic Integrity Policy:

Students should be familiar with Sacred Heart’s Academic Integrity Policy. The remarks about plagiarism are especially important, and they apply to all assignments and exams. If there is evidence of plagiarism, a grade of F will be given for the assignment; at my discretion, an F will be given for the course grade. If you have any questions about how to cite material, please let me know. The Jandrisevits Learning Center and the Ryan Matura Library can provide assistance as well.


Withdrawing:

The course withdrawal policy provides details, including a list of deadlines, for withdrawing from the course. Contact the Student Accounts Office at 203-371-7925 to request a withdrawal.


Administrative Statements:

Office of Student Accessibility: Information Statement

The Office of Student Accessibility provides instructional accommodations and services for students with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. To learn how to request assistance visit: OSA.

Disability Services:

Sacred Heart University provides equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of disability status. Students requesting accommodations should contact the Office of Student Accessibility (link to website). Students must be registered with the Office of Student Accessibility and submit appropriate documentation to be granted accommodations. For further information about requesting accommodations, please contact Kathy Radziunas, Director of the Office of Student Accessibility, radziunask@sacredheart.edu, or Laurie Scinicariello, Assistant Director of the Office of Student Accessibility, scinicariellol@sacredheart.edu.

If you have any condition that will make it difficult for you to carry out your work as outlined by your instructor, or which may require academic accommodations, please notify your instructor as soon as possible. Students are responsible for utilizing academic support resources and for requesting and arranging accommodations in advance in order to implement them in their courses. Students are also expected to discuss their accommodations with their instructors. All information shared with instructors will be kept confidential.

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

Sacred Heart affirms and strives to make available for every student a learning environment that is welcoming, equitable, and culturally sensitive and is supported by a curriculum that celebrates diverse voices, fosters agency, and encourages the capacity for self-advocacy. To read more, visit the You Belong at SHU web page. If you feel that you have been mistreated, you may wish to contact the SHU Bias Response Team. If you are experiencing challenges relating to access to food, housing, technology, or other resources that might affect your performance in this course, you are urged to contact the Dean of Students, Larry Wielk.