Spring Semester 2002
English 102-21
McIver 227
6:00-7:15
I. Information
concerning instructor:
Name:
Michael Dodd, Ph.D. candidate, TA in the department of English, UNCG.
Office:
Petty Science Building, basement, O1J.
Hours: TR 1:00-3:00 and by appointment.
Email:
dodd245@cs.com
Email
me for: scheduling individual and group conferences, questions about course
requirements and content, to make comments and suggestions about the course,
and so forth.
II. Course description and goals:
English
102 is a speaking-intensive course in composition that contributes toward the
fulfillment of the Reasoning and Discourse requirement. Therefore, our focus will be on both oral and
written compositions, and our aim will involve putting these forms of discourse
to use in ways that show an understanding of reasoning and logic. In
particular, our aims will be:
a) To explore processes of composition as they pertain
both to speaking and writing.
b) But, what terrain shall we explore in order to find
these processes? The mountains of past
reasoning and logic, sometimes rugged, will provide us with means of invention
in order to make our own compositions.
c) By way of this exploration, to use reasoning and
logic to discover or invent new discourse and so enlarge and renew the terrain.
III. Required texts:
Bedau,
Hugo. Thinking and Writing about Philosophy. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford-St.
Martin's, 2002.
Blackburn,
Simon. Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford
UP, 1999.
IV. Recommended texts:
Heaton,
John and Judy Groves. Introducing Wittgenstein. New York: Totem, 1996.
Robinson,
Dave and Chris Garratt, Introducing Descartes. New York: Totem, 1998.
V. Why?
Each
of us uses reasoning and logic in various kinds of discourse and discursive
situations everyday; if we didn't, we wouldn't survive. Therefore, each of us brings to this course
certain skills in reasoning and logic--in problem solving-- that are just as
applicable here as elsewhere. You've
already come a long way in reasoning and discourse!
Philosophy,
meaning "the love of wisdom," is our great terrain of reasoning and
discourse. Wherever wisdom is found in
this terrain, whether in the region of economics, politics, law, education,
literature, the arts, religion, science, everyday living, etc., there is
philosophy. What, then, is wisdom? We may generally define it as the ability to
solve problems. We show a love of wisdom whenever we grasp:
a) How
various forms of discourse are functioning in the world?
b)
How our participation affects how these forms of discourse function.
VI. Course requirements:
In
general, to come to class prepared, having carefully completed each assignment
in order to be ready to contribute, through speaking or writing, to whatever is
required for each class meeting. More
specifically:
a) To
contribute on a daily basis to the class discussion in the round and to the
group discussions and informal presentations.
Occasionally, there will be very short in-class writing assignments,
about 15 minutes allotted for each, for the purpose of assessing your grasp of
the reading. In writing these
assignments, the student may consult notes but not textbooks.
b) To
deliver 2 formal speeches; the first, extemporaneous in kind, will form part of
a group project; the second will be done individually.
c) To
compose 2 essays, the latter of which, a short research project, will be
presented to the class as a conference paper for the 2nd formal speech.
VII. Policies and procedures:
a) No
more than 4 absences will be excused, with the exception only of a genuine
emergency. Only in the case of a genuine
emergency will there be any makeup opportunities.
b) On
the 5th absence, you may be dropped.
Keep an accurate account of your attendance. Apart from the aforesaid emergency, there is
no need for you to inform me of the reason for your absence.
c)
More than very few occasions of lateness will be taken as an intentional
class disturbance. In that case, we'll
talk over whether you should continue in the course.
Syllabus Schedule
January:
T 14 Syllabus
R 16 Blackburn, Contents vii (the topics or sites on
the course terrain that provide our means of discovery and invention);
Introduction 1-13; Bedau, bottom of 3-6; class discussion in the round; meeting
your group.
T 21 Blackburn, Knowledge 15-32; Bedau, Glossary
187-194; class discussion in the round; group discussion and informal
presentations.
R 23 Blackburn, Knowledge 32-48; class discussion in
the round; group discussion and informal presentations.
T 28 Blackburn, Mind 49-58; Bedau, 7-15; class
discussion in the round; group discussion and informal presentations.
R 30 Blackburn, Mind 58-80; class discussion in the
round; group discussion and informal presentations. Begin your thinking about your first formally
written essay topic.
February:
T 4 Blackburn, Free Will 81-91; Bedau, 15-24 (an abstract
of your own first formal essay, not researched, due Feb. 6); class
discussion in the round; class brainstorming concerning first formally written
essay topic.
R 6 Blackburn, Free Will 91-107; Bedau, 24-34; class
discussion in the round; group discussion and informal presentations. Due: An abstract of your own first
formal paper.
T 11 Blackburn, Free Will 107-119; Bedau, 34-41; class
discussion in the round; group discussion and informal presentations. Some attention to your abstracts.
R 13 Bedau, 41-54; class discussion in the round. More attention to abstracts and refinement of
ideas, if needed.
T 18 Blackburn, 120-135; class discussion in the
round; group discussion and informal presentations.
R 20 Blackburn, 135-148; class discussion in the round;
group discussion and informal presentations.
T 25 Blackburn, 149-158; Bedau, 55-64; class
discussion in the round; group discussion and informal presentations.
R 27 Blackburn, 159-176; class discussion in the
round; group discussion and informal presentations.
March:
T 4 Blackburn, 176-192; class discussion in the round;
group discussion and informal presentations.
R 6 Bedau, 64-77; class discussion in the round; group
discussion and informal presentations. First
formal essay due.
M 10-F 14 Spring break.
T 18 Blackburn, 193-205; Bedau, 78-89; Bedau, 195-198;
class discussion in the round; first formal essay returned with a midterm
evaluation.
W 19 Last day to drop course without academic
penalty.
R 20 Blackburn, 206-213; Bedau, 89-105; class
discussion in the round; group discussion concerning the first formal speech on
a topic from Blackburn.
T 25 Blackburn, 213-232; class discussion in the
round; group discussion concerning first formal speech.
R 27 Bedau, 106-127; class discussion in the round;
group discussion concerning how each member may best revise his or her first
formal essay--Bring your first draft!
April:
T 1 Blackburn, 233-243; Bedau, 127-136; class
discussion in the round; group discussion and informal presentations. Second draft of first formal essay due.
R 3 Blackburn, 243-253; Bedau, 137-156; class
discussion in the round; group discussion and informal presentations. You may want to schedule time outside class
for planning the first formal speech.
T 8 Blackburn, 253-269; class discussion in the round;
group discussion and informal presentations.
R 10 First formal speeches due.
T 15 Blackburn, 270-282; Bedau, 161-176; begin
thinking about topics for 2nd formal paper, to be researched.
R 17 Blackburn, 282-298; class discussion in the
round; group discussion and informal presentations.
T 22 Bedau, 177-186; class discussion in the round on
research topics.
R 24 A wrap-up of all issues.
T 29 No class meeting--out of class research.
May:
R 1 Research paper due. Second formal speeches begin.
T 6 Remainder of second formal speeches.