Philosophy of the Human - Katie Brennan
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Philosophy of the Human
Temple University
Spring 2021
Course Number: 0839, Section 002
3.0 Credit Hours
MWF 11:00am – 11:50am
Anderson 208
Professor: Katie Brennan
Email: mary.brennan@temple.edu
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 10am-10:50, Anderson 738 (or by appointment)
Teaching Assistant: Mang Su (sumang@temple.edu)
Course Description:
What is it to be human? To have human experiences and values? What is it like to walk in the
shoes of people who may not share our experiences and values? In what ways, if any, do we treat
people unequally in the social and political spheres, and are these unequal treatments justified?
This course examines a range of answers to these questions and more. Potential topics include
but are not limited to: different historical and cultural perspectives on being human; issues
related to the human self, justice, morality, and the socio-cultural; and the relationships between
the human condition and broader facets of contemporary life. Traditional historical and
contemporary philosophical works, as well as influential literary, empirical, and cinematic
pieces, will be used to explore, analyze, and propose answers to what it is to be human.
Philosophy of the Human is a 3 credit hour Human Behavior General Education course. Students
cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed PHIL 0939.
Course Learning Goals:
1. Students will critically analyze abstract conceptual issues related to relationships between
individuals and communities and discussions of these concepts.
2. Students will apply philosophical concepts and analyses to their own experiences and
accounts of the experiences of others in order to appreciate and understand the
complexity of what it is to be human.
3. Students will carefully and clearly express their ideas and defend their philosophical
conclusions about different aspects of being human in written and spoken formats.
4. Students will critically evaluate the accuracy and reliability of sources of information.
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for PHIL 0839. This course is accessible to
undergraduates with a variety of interests and backgrounds.
Course Texts: All texts will be provided online in PDF format. You do not need to purchase any
books.
Course Requirements:
The evaluation for the course will consist of six items (totaling 1950 points):
1. Discussion Board (50 points each x 10, totaling 550 points)2. Participation (200 points)
3. Information Literacy Assignment (100 points)
4. Four Homework Assignments (100 points each, totaling 400 points)
5. Group Presentations (100 points)
6. Final Project Draft Presentations (200 points)
7. Final Project (400 points)
Grading Scale:
A 100 % to 94.0%
A- < 94.0 % to 90.0%
B+ < 90.0 % to 87.0%
B < 87.0 % to 84.0%
B- < 84.0 % to 80.0%
C+ < 80.0 % to 77.0%
C < 77.0 % to 74.0%
C- < 74.0 % to 70.0%
D+ < 70.0 % to 67.0%
D < 67.0 % to 64.0%
D- < 64.0 % to 61.0%
F < 61.0 % to 0.0%
***You must earn a C- or higher to satisfy a GenEd requirement. See the Undergraduate Bulletin
at http://bulletin.temple.edu/undergraduate/general-education/ for more information about GenEd
courses.
1) Discussion Board
In order to complete a Discussion Board Assignment, students will upload one Question for
Consideration and two Responses to Other Students. Details about each are provided below:
a) Questions for Consideration (QFC):These posts are due by the beginning of class every time you see “(QFC Due)” on the
syllabus.
A “Question For Consideration” may be about any philosophical aspect of the
assigned texts we have read for that module. Your questions should follow this
criteria:
(1) Questions must be clearly and directly tied to a text by indicating a sentence
or passage quoted from the text, and the page number on which the sentence
or passage was found.
(2) Not only should a selection and a page number appear, but a philosophical
question about the selection or its context should be supplied.
(3) Explain WHY you are asking the question you are. In other words, why is
this question important or relevant?
(4) Hazard an educated guess as to the answer. By an educated guess, I mean a
guess informed by the text. Your educated guess should include a quote from
another point in the text to support one’s own answer to one’s own question.
Students will sometimes be asked to volunteer to share their QFC with the class.
If students do not volunteer, I will proceed to start calling on students to read their
question aloud. So aim for a question that you are unafraid to share with the rest
of the group. We can be very helpful in working out the answers to questions
about the text together, so consider the class a collection of allies in the struggle
for understanding.
b) Responses to Other Students (ROS):
Your responses are due by the beginning of class every time you see “(ROS Due)” on the
syllabus.
Each student must respond to at least two other students’ posts. Comments on
others' posts must be between 100 and 250 words. These responses will be
evaluated according to their engagement with other posts and according to the
quality of the writing, thinking, and discussion. That means that the response
should not just repeat what someone else has written, but should respond and
comment on the previous posts or questions, advance and deepen the discussion.
You can do this in various ways: mention an observation, claim, or supporting
reason raised in the text that deepens the discussion; restate what another student
has said, or restate a claim from the text, and then ask a question or suggest a
clarification that might lead to a deeper discussion; offer an example (perhaps
from personal experience) that either supports a claim being discussed or calls it
into question; or suggest a different way to think about an issue.It is crucial that everyone be very respectful of each other in the discussion threads. Take an
extra minute before posting in a thread to make sure that your words and tone are appropriate—
especially when disagreeing with a fellow student.
2) Participation
Participation is based upon active involvement in discussion and group work, engaged reading
and preparing for class, answering questions when called upon, and attendance (see the
attendance guidelines below). You must complete the required readings for each session and
bring a copy of your reading to class (This can be electronic).
3) Information Literacy Assignment
You will complete two short assignments that are intended to develop your information literacy.
4) Homework Assignments
You will be asked to complete four homework assignments throughout the semester. The due
dates for each homework are clearly marked on the syllabus—each homework assignment is due
by midnight and is to be submitted on Canvas. You will be able to find the prompt for each
homework on Canvas.
5) Group Presentations
You will be formed into small groups. Each group will be responsible for creating an activity
for the class that helps us review key themes, ideas, and elements in the text. The type of
activity you choose is up to you, but can include: discussion, debate, games, etc. Feel free to
get creative! This class activity should last 10-15 minutes.
6) Final Project Draft Presentations and Peer-Review Discussion Board
Your task for this assignment is to present an early version/draft of your final paper in class, in
order to receive feedback. Refer to the document with instructions for the final paper, for more
details (uploaded on Canvas – “Final Paper Instructions”). While you do not have to present a
completed draft, you should at the very least have an outline for your paper.
By an outline, I mean the following:
1. A thesis statement – your main claim/argument in the paper (what you are trying
to convince the reader of).
2. Two to three sub-arguments in support of your thesis statement. You do not have
to flesh out all the details here for the presentation, but should have a rough idea
of what these would be.
3. Potential examples.
4. Identify the key concepts that will have to be defined.
5. Potential passages that you might use.
You will present for roughly 7 minutes. You may use a PowerPoint or any other form of visual
aid. Remember that this exercise is meant to help the whole class, so try to address your
presentations not just to me, but also to your peers.7) Final Paper Your final project consists of a 4-6 page position or ‘argument’ paper offering a thesis and reasons for the thesis, centrally supported by documentation of sources for the intellectual content. You must incorporate at least one of the texts from this course as a primary source for your project. Empirical claims offered to support your arguments must be documented by reliable, credible, and appropriately unbiased sources (this means locating alternatives to ThinkProgress, Breitbart, and other sources that are not in this category; see Parameters and Criteria below as to why). Course Policies Academic Honesty: You are expected to do your own work and any form of academic dishonesty—such as plagiarism and cheating—is as unacceptable in this course as it is across Temple University and throughout higher education. The full statement of Temple's policy on academic honesty is at https://bulletin.temple.edu/undergraduate/about-temple- university/student-responsibilities/. Students who violate the policy will automatically receive a zero for the assignment and may fail the course and be subject to University sanctions. The Philosophy Department requires that all cases of suspected dishonesty be reported to the Chair, and that confirmed cases result in at least an F grade for the assignment and possible further repercussions. Attendance Policy: To achieve our learning goals this semester, you must be present for the work that we do in the classroom; genuine learning is about much more than assignment scores. We will have important discussions and do constructive activities during class, all of which you miss when you don't attend. Please attend every class meeting. In case of emergency or other excusable absence, 1) email me as soon as possible and 2) provide legitimate documentation that justifies your absence. Excusable absences include, but may not be limited to, actual doctor appointments, actual deaths of loved ones, actual job interviews, and actual school-related trips verified by a Temple faculty member. Unexcused absences include, but may not be limited to, headaches, rain, mismanaged workloads, and general malaise, lethargy, and laziness. You are allowed three unexcused absences—use them wisely, like when you honestly do not feel good but do not feel bad enough to go to the doctor. Your grade will be negatively affected by absences. After three unexcused absences, your final course grade will be reduced by one grade for each absence. For example, your grade will fall from a C+ to a C for one unexcused absence over the limit, i.e., a fourth unexcused absence. See the attendance policy in the Undergraduate Bulletin. https://bulletin.temple.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies/attendance/
Please let me know if you may need to leave early or arrive late. You'll be marked absent if you
arrive more than 15 minutes late or if you leave early without talking to me first.
Canvas: We will use Canvas for recording grades, posting most assignments, posting readings
not found in the course texts, and class announcements, e.g., changes to the reading schedule and
meeting cancelations. Please check Canvas regularly so that you know what's going on and you
don't fall behind.
Course Etiquette: Please be courteous in all that you say and do in this course and during office
hours. All class discussions and submitted assignments should be pertinent to the course and
should not be intentionally offensive or derogatory. I retain the right to dismiss students from
class meetings and office hours. Also, keep the following in mind:
—Even if you're talking about class material, talking to a peer during class disrupts
those around you and damages the learning environment. Please raise your hand if you
have a question or comment.
—Please let me know if you may need to leave early or arrive late. You'll be marked
absent if you arrive more than 15 minutes late or if you leave early without talking to me
first.
—Please let me know if you need to make audio or video recordings during class.
Recordings are not allowed unless you get permission from me first.
Phones and Computers: Please stay off of your phone during class. I can see you—hi!—and
it’s obvious when you’re on your phone no matter how hard you try to hide it. Students on
phones are disruptive to the learning environment. If you have a true emergency that you have to
handle, step out of class. Otherwise, please put your phone away at the start of class.
If you’re not using your computer or tablet to take notes or to access the day’s reading, put it
away, too. When you use your computer/tablet in class for any other reason, you distract the
people around you, and that's not fair. Again, it’s obvious to me when you’re using your
computer for anything other than taking notes or looking at the readings. Please don’t be that
person.
Disabilities and Accommodations: This course is open to all students who meet the academic
requirements for participation. All are welcome. Any student who has a need for
accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the
specific situation as soon as possible and no latter than the end of the second week of classes. If
you have not done so already, contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) at 215-204-1280
or drs@temple.edu in 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students
with documented disabilities. Visit http://www.temple.edu/studentaffairs/disability/ for more
information.
COVID-19 Policies for Fall 2021
Temple University’s motto is Perseverance Conquers and we will continue to meet the changing
circumstances of the COVID pandemic with flexibility and resilience. Working together as a
community to deliver a meaningful learning experience is a responsibility we all share.Attendance and Your Health
To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the
stated requirements in this syllabus. However, if you feel unwell or if you are under quarantine
or in isolation because you have been exposed to the virus or tested positive for it, you should
not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. Contact me to create a plan for
participation and engagement in the course as soon as you are able to do so, and to make a plan
to complete all assignments in a timely fashion, when illness delays their completion.
Expectations for Class Conduct
The best way to maintain a safe and focused learning environment is for everyone to get
vaccinated, which is now required by Temple University of all students, faculty, and staff, by
October 15th. Masks must be worn by vaccinated and unvaccinated people in all indoor or in
enclosed spaces (including classrooms, the Library, the TECH Center, the Student Center,
shuttles/buses, administrative spaces, common areas in residence halls, etc.) unless Temple's
policy changes. For your general health and well-being, hand washing and monitoring your
health is still highly recommended.
Course Schedule and Readings:
Please read the scheduled texts prior to class, and, if possible, bring them with you.
Unit I: Meaning and Human Life
Week 1:
Monday, 8/23: Course Introduction
Wednesday, 8/25: Russell, excerpts from Problems of Philosophy (1912)
Friday, 8/27: Tolstoy, excerpts from My Confession (1882)
Week 2:
Monday, 8/30: Tolstoy, excerpts from My Confession (1882), continued
Wednesday, 9/1: Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus (QFC Due)
Friday, 9/3: Discussion (ROS Due)
Week 3:
Monday, 9/6: Labor Day, No Class
Wednesday, 9/8: James, “What Makes Life Significant” (QFC Due)
Friday, 9/10: Discussion (ROS Due); Homework #1 Due
Unit II: Liberty and Fairness
Week 4:Monday, 9/13: Hobbes, from the Leviathan, excerpts
Wednesday, 9/15: John Stewart Mill, On Liberty, excerpts (QFC Due)
Friday, 9/17: Discussion (ROS Due)
Week 5:
Monday, 9/20: Charles Mills, The Racial Contract
Wednesday, 9/22: Marilyn Frye, “Oppression” (QFC Due)
Friday, 9/24: Discussion (ROS Due); Homework #2 Due
Week 6:
Monday, 9/27: Iris Marion Young, “Five Faces of Oppression”
Wednesday, 9/29: Iris Marion Young, “Five Faces of Oppression” (QFC Due)
Friday, 10/1: Discussion (ROS Due)
Unit III: Interrogating Society
Week 7:
Monday, 10/4: Coates, Between the World and Me, p. 1-71
Wednesday, 10/6: Coates, Between the World and Me, p. 73-132 (QFC Due)
Friday, 10/8: Discussion (ROS Due)
Week 8:
Monday, 10/11: 13th, Ava DuVernay, 100 min
Wednesday, 10/13: 13th, Ava DuVernay, 100 min
Friday, 10/15: 13th, Ava DuVernay, 100 min; Homework #3 Due
Week 9:
Monday, 10/18: Information Literacy
Wednesday, 10/20: Kimberle Crenshaw, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race
and Sex” (QFC Due)
Friday, 10/22: Discussion (ROS Due); Information Literacy Assignment Due
Week 10:
Monday, 10/25: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, We Should All Be Feminists (Ted Talk)
Wednesday, 10/27: Audre Lorde, “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the
Master’s House” (QFC Due)
Friday, 10/28: Discussion (ROS Due)
Week 11:
Monday, 11/1: María Lugones, Playfulness, "World"-Travelling, and Loving Perception
Wednesday, 11/3: Gloria Anzaldua, “Wild Tounge” (QFC Due)
Friday, 11/5: Discussion (ROS Due); Homework #4 DueWeek 12:
Monday, 11/8: Eli Clare, Brilliant Imperfection, Chapter 7
Wednesday, 11/10: Eli Clare, Brilliant Imperfection, Chapter 8 (QFC Due)
Friday, 11/12: Discussion (ROS Due)
Week 13:
Monday, 11/15: Final Project Draft Presentations
Wednesday, 11/17: Final Project Draft Presentations
Friday, 11/19: Final Project Draft Presentations
Week 14: Fall Break: No Class
Week 15:
Monday, 11/29: Final Project Draft Presentations
Wednesday, 12/1: Final Project Draft Presentations
Friday, 12/3: Final Project Draft Presentations
***Final Papers are due on Thursday, December 9th by midnight via Canvas.You can also read
