PHI  101  Introduction to Philosophy  Summer 2024

INTRODUCTION to PHILOSOPHY         

BASIC COURSE INFORMATION

SUMMER 2024

Announcements

GRADES are Here : GRADES

Announcement  6-29-24  GRADES are posted

You can rate me at RATE MY PROFESSOR

Announcement 6-28-24 COURSE IS CLOSED

Announcement  6-27-24  BONUS OPPORTUNITY

Announcement  6-27-24  Module 10 What is Philosophy?

Announcement  6-24-24  Module 9 Political Philosophy

Announcement  6-18-24  Module 8 Ethics: a Basis for Morality

Announcement  6-15-24  Module 7 Free Will? or Determinism?

Announcement  6-12-24  Module 6 Truth

Announcement  6-9-24  Module 5 Epistemology

Announcement  6-6-24  Module 4 Metaphysics

Announcement  6-3-24  Module 3 The Problem of Evil

Announcement  5-31-24  Module 2 Philosophy of Religion: The Existence of GOD

Announcement  5-28-24  Module 1

 Introduction to the Course 

Announcement  5-28-24  Welcome 

This course is 31 days of work and thinking, thinking , thinking.   Are you ready! Fun, work, opportunities, work, rewards, work. 27 to 36 hours of work per week!!!!

Explore new perspectives!

Expect challenges to your cherished beliefs!

A Survivor Course!

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Attendance:  More than 3 days of absences will result in a lower final grade.  More than one weeks of absences will result in a final grade of “F”. 

Assignments      

There will be 10 written assignments.  TOTAL 33 points

Assignments<<< Click Here

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Grades:

 Last four digits of NCC # used for your grades 

Find your grades for this semester here>>Grades  <<< Click Here Find your grades for this semester here      Final grade is determined as follows:

ACTIVITIES FINAL GRADE
Activity points
Attendance 36
   
Written Assignments  
1.Dialectical Thinking 3
2. Proof of a deity 3
3.Problem of Evil 3
4. Metaphysics 3
5.Knowledge 3
6.Truth 3
7.Freedom or Determinism? 3
8. Ethics 6
9. Social Political Philosophy 3
10. Culminating Activities 4
  34

 

 POINTS FINAL GRADE

 

90-100

A

 

85-89

B+

 

80-84

B

 

75-79

C+

 

70-74

C
 

65-69

D+
  60-64 D
  0-59 F
     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find your grades for this semester here>> Grades << Click Here

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Calendar:  CALENDAR 

Textbook:   There is ONLY ONE required and it is FREE.

REQUIRED TEXTS:   INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY <<< Click Here

 It is an Online Textbook   NONE to buy!  the REQUIRED TEXTBOOK is FREE and on two websites located here:

Primary site: http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/SocialSciences/ppecorino/INTRO_TEXT/default.htm

Secondary Site: http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/pecorip/SCCCWEB/ETEXTS/INTRO_TEXT/default.htm

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COLLEGE POLICIES

Course Prerequisites

Students must satisfy ENGLISH (ENG) and READING (RDG) remediation requirements before starting any philosophy course.


1.   Policy Statement on Classroom Management – The College will not tolerate disruptive behavior in the classroom that interferes with the instructor’s performance of his/her professional functions or that undermines the integrity of student learning.  This policy describes what authority the faculty have to deal in these situations.

Faculty has a right and responsibility to maintain a proper learning environment in the
classroom. As integral members of this partnership, students are expected to participate actively in the learning experience and must do so in an appropriate manner.

Disruptive conduct in the classroom that interferes with the instructor's performance of his/her professional functions or that undermines the integrity of student learning will not be tolerated. Disruptive conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • Students who routinely enter class late or depart early,
  • Students who repeatedly talk in class without being called upon;
  • Students who continually interrupt lectures;
  • Students whose cell phones repeatedly ring and/or emit an audible sound during class or students who repeatedly text during class;
  • Students who intimidate or harass a professor/classmate;
  • Students who threaten a professor/classmate, participate in a physical display of anger, or verbally abuse a faculty member/classmate;
  • Students whose classroom behavior otherwise violates the College's Student Code of
  • Conduct and (or) Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Policy.

This negative behavior will incur faculty intervention and may result in disciplinary action.

The Philosophy Department does not tolerate disruptive behavior in the classroom. Here is the NEW Classroom Disruption Policy:

  1. The instructor will apprise the student of the inappropriateness of the behavior and ask that the negative behavior cease.
  2. If negative behavior persists, the instructor may:
    • a. Refer the student to campus support services, and /or
    • b. Remove the student from class for one class meeting and inform the student to contact the instructor prior to the next scheduled class meeting.
    • c. In case of severe negative behavior, Public Safety will be called and the student will be immediately removed from class.
  3. If the behavior persists and the faculty member wants to remove the student from class, the instructor will inform the chair immediately and submit a signed and dated written statement of the incident to the Department Chair within two (2) academic calendar days. Within two (2) academic calendar days, the Department Chair will call a meeting(s) with the faculty member and the student to review the matter. If a unanimous resolution is not reached, the Student will have the opportunity to appeal his removal from the classroom to the Dean of Students, by Chair using the Classroom Disruption Student Appeal Form


2.  Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism 

 This policy describes the many forms of plagiarism as a warning to students, especially in this age of technology.  It also provides for a reporting and punishment method that can go beyond a punitive course grade, especially for repeated acts of academic dishonesty.  Faculty are encouraged to report such abuses to the Dean of Students using the form that is provided by the Office of the Dean of Students or by the various Department Chairs.

Academic Integrity

The college has an academic integrity policy and program.   You may be severely penalized for violations of academic integrity.  Learn about it and observe the principles.  Among other things you must avoid plagiarism.  In this course, the penalty for violations of academic integrity is as follows:
1. First offense - the student receives the grade of "0" for the assignment and the possibility of more severe action at the discretion of the instructor.
2. Second offense - the student receives an "F" in the course and a Violation of Academic Integrity Report is filed with the Dean of Students.

3.  Student Code of Conduct  This extensive document lists the rules and regulations of conduct for NCC students and describes the disciplinary actions that will apply for infractions of the Code.  

To read the details of each policy you may access the NCC Catalog Policies and Procedures at 
http://collegecatalog.ncc.edu/current/policiesandprocedures/ (scroll down to Additional Information)

Or you may go to the NCC home page, click on College Catalog then Policies and Procedures and scroll down to Additional Information for the desired policy.

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NCC Disability Statement :

"If you have a physical,psychological, medical, or learning disability that may have an impact on your ability to carry out the assigned coursework, I urge you to contact the Center for Students with Disabilities(CSD), Building U,(516 572-7241,TTY(516) 572-7617.  The counselors at CSD will review your concerns and determine reasonable accommodations you are entitled to by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  All information and documentation pertaining to personal disabilities will be kept confidential."
 

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Contact Information     Contact information<<< Click Here

If you have trouble then email me at: Philip.Pecorino@ncc.edu  I will respond the next business day.

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Course Objectives

 To enable a student to:  

1.     Identify some of the basic content in the field of Philosophy:

  • a. vocabulary

  • b. concepts

  • c. theories  

2.     Identify traditional and current Issues in Philosophy;  

3.     Communicate your awareness of and understanding of philosophical issues.

4.   Demonstrate familiarity with the main areas of philosophic discourse and be able to state what major schools of thought there are that have contributed to the ongoing discussion of these issues  

5.    Develop skills of critical analysis and dialectical thinking.  

6.    Analyze and respond to the comments of other students regarding philosophical issues.  

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How to do well in this class

OK , here is my very best advice concerning how to approach this course and do well. Read all the introductory materials.  Explore this site.  Take notes.

Read over the requirements for this course very well.

Get prepared somehow to put in 9-12 hours per week on the course at the computer and reading . 18-24 hours per week in the SUMMER SESSION 27-36 hours each week in a 4 week course

Time would be spent reading and writing and lots of thinking , thinking , thinking in between.

Ask questions of the instructor concerning assignments.

Ask questions of the instructor concerning the lessons.

Ask questions of the instructor concerning  the key questions.

Ask questions of your fellow students concerning  the key questions.

Get your written assignments in on time. 

If allowed to revise the written assignments to raise your grade, plan to do so. 

Take all topics and questions seriously, but not that seriously.  That is to say , you should realize that they are important; important enough to have changed the course of events and helped to shape our social world.  But they should not cause you to become overly concerned or worried sick over this. 

Have fun!  Philosophy is something I must do because it is in my nature to ask questions and attempt to look at things in different ways.  It would be very boring if Philosophy was just the same old stuffy and dry questions and ideas.  I hope to show you that it is far from that. Philosophy springs from that place deep inside our minds that gets disturbed by uncertainty, contradictions and inconsistencies, paradoxes, ironies, metaphors, sufferings and great joy and magnificent beauty. 

So, be prepared to work but prepare to explore and to be challenged and to be entertained a bit as well. In my estimation the hardest part of this course is finding the time.  Studies show that lots of people who take online courses do so because of time considerations.  So this is a key factor in determining what a student will be able to do and that in turn has direct bearing on how well someone will do in this type of course (nearly any course , for that matter.)

Research in Philosophy on the Internet.
Research in Philosophy on the Internet.
Free tutorial on doing research in Philosophy on the Internet.

http://www.humbul.ac.uk/vts/philosophy/index.htm

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If you have trouble then email me at:  Philip.Pecorino@NCC.edu  I will respond the next business day.

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