Other texts provided online$- JP Moreland, “Love your God with all your mind”
- Genesis (Chps. 1-2)
- Peter Kreeft, “Is truth objective?”
- Keith Buhler, “Logic 101”
- Peter Kreeft, “Are universals real?”
- The Gospel of John (without chapters, verses, or cross-references)
- Wall-E\(<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KL9PBrmhnAizK_JWSbfKXUmWYDu-uvl3VNOv-LZM0HQ/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true&widget=true&headers=false" width="800" height="600"></iframe>\)
Readings: The primary work of this class is reading and thinking about these books, essays, and films. It will take about 5 hours per week of reading and writing. And some is very hard, requiring re-reading and time. Read actively, read ahead, and try to understand the book. Primarily, your goal is not just to read but to understand. Reflect on
what you’ve read. Bring to class a question from the reading – focus on
what confuses you. Reading tips are online. $Short, online reading quizzes are due almost every class day. The quiz covers that day’s reading. It closes at 9am when class starts. The quizzes are timed and can only be taken once, so please complete them when you finish your reading. Don’t start them before your reading is done as you will not have enough time to search the reading for answers. You will quickly find that you really must do the reading and do it quite carefully to do well on these quizzes. Please keep up.$Attendance: We need you here! Attendance is mandatory. $Participation: The primary competency of this class is philosophical dialogue. Hence, you must attend and participate. Class time is primarily focused on discussion of the material for which I expect you to be fully engaged. $We do dialogue for five main reasons: (1) You must take responsibility for your own learning. (2) We can actually get to know each other. (3) I learn best in discussion. (4) Most people learn (and retain) best in discussion. (5) Philosophy is dialogical. $You are responsible to talk in class. Even if you are confused, tired, or unmotivated, I expect you to make yourself participate and engage. Get out of your comfort zone into your growth zone. Come prepared. Read, take notes, reflect, and come ready to share your viewpoint, defend it, listen to others’ viewpoints, and critique theirs. $To earn participation points, you will voluntarily share your thoughts in discussion at least once per week, and/or respond when called upon. You are not required to write posts on the discussion board online. By default, everyone is an “external processor”. “Internal procesors”: Some may wish to opt out of speaking in class and emphasize writing. To earn participation points, you will post class reflections online every week. You may elect to speak in class as well, and may be called upon.$Everyone starts at an 80% (B-) for the participation grade. You will move up or down depending on whether you pay attention and speak at least once per week. (I prohibit the use of electronic devices in class, although laptop users may request permission to sit in the front of class with their computers.) $What are the “ground rules” for discussion? The rules are hard to articulate. I give you a few rules that I have found to help, but the real rules are bigger and deeper. In fact, you can break my little rules and you’re still OK. I can criticize your opinion and you’re still OK. You can criticize my opinions and we’re still OK. You can say something “mean” or politically incorrect and we’re all OK. You can ask people to be nicer, and we’re OK. You can even criticize my teaching, and I’m OK. Trust the process. We’re going to try, together to make something of our discussions. $Other discussion ground rules are posted online. $Quarter Tests: There are two quarter exams: one at the end of the first quarter, and one at the end of the third quarter. (No midterm or final). These exams will assess your knowledge of historical facts, philosophical definitions, and the ability to synthesize and apply concepts. The Study Guide is posted online.$Disputations: Every 2 weeks or so, you will write a Philosophical Disputation paper. Each disputation is pass/fail and worth approximately 4% of the semester grade. The instructions are posted online. $Extra Credit? Those who opt for extra credit may do so. Instructions are posted online.$### Miscellany:$1. Bring your textbook to every class.
- Participate. Participation is your responsibility; I may or may not call on you. Challenge yourself!
- Stay focused. Do not distract yourself with side conversations, texting, Facebook, or doing anything else in class. Take a short mental break or bathroom break if you need to, but come back. (If you have an important phone call or text, please step outside the class for a moment, then return.)
- Be respectful of others: Pay attention when a neighbor is talking. No teasing. Don’t pack up early.
- Contact me. Best method is to chat after class. I read every email but may not respond to every email. You need a response, and I haven’t responded within three (3) business days, email again with the subject “nudge”. Please use keith.buhler@uky.edu email.
- Contact. For short, quick questions, use Twitter (@keith_buhler)
- Email. You are expected to have an active e-mail account that you check regularly, and to check Canvas announcements. Section related announcements will be made on Canvas and/or via e-mail (e.g. if I am sick, pointers for home work, change in due dates).
- Make up work is not accepted after the due date, unless you obtain prior (email) permission.
- Plagiarism. Do not plagiarize. Intentional or unintentional plagiarism will result in a a zero for the assignment, and jeopordizes your standing in the class. Do not intentionally take anyone else’s work nor provide your work to anyone else (under whatever auspices). Academic integrity, the embodiment of the moral and spiritual principles to which we adhere, is the essential basis of the academic community. Cite your sources.
- Enjoy philosophy. We are not merely solving abstract puzzles here, but digging deeply into human thinking in a way that could change your life forever. The more you and your fellows allow yourselves to acquire a “taste” for the material, the more inclined you will be to give it the real effort required to master it.