SAS-001- 001-2013C: Introduction to Philosophy Faculty: Pamela Riley and Gresham Riley; Recitation Session Leaders: Aditi Chaturvedi

and Jordan Taylor University of Pennsylvania Fall Semester, 2013 Lectures: Mondays and Wednesdays, 12noon-12:50pm, Stiteler Hall #B-26 Recitation Sessions: Fridays at 10:00am; 11:00am, 12noon, and 1:00pm The Course: An introduction to philosophy can take various forms, depending on the institution, the temperament and/or ideology of the teaching faculty, and the purposes to be served. Each form has its own strengths and shortcomings. One option is to focus on the history of philosophy, but immediately a choice must be made between Western and Eastern philosophies or the daunting task of including both. Not surprisingly, the West typically prevails. A second possibility is to organize the course around so-called classical problems of philosophy: determinism, freedom, and moral responsibility; knowledge, skepticism, and the problem of induction; proofs for the existence of God; mind, body, and their interactions; etc. Yet a third choice is to read/discuss seminal texts: for example, a selection of Platonic dialogues; Rene Descartes Meditations; David Humes Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion; Immanuel Kants Prolegomena to any Future Metaphysics; and John Deweys Reconstruction in Philosophy. This particular introduction to philosophy will take its point of departure from Friedrich Nietzsches startling announcement in The Gay Science (1882): God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him! These churches around us are the tombs and monuments of this God. Nietzsche, in his typically aphoristic fashion, made a seemingly profound statement, the meaning of which is far from clear. One widely accepted interpretation is that with the death of God women and men can no longer look to an all-good-knowingand-powerful being for the meaning and purpose for their lives, for the values that can serve as the north star for decision making. Regardless of how one assesses Nietzsches declaration, there is impressive evidence that it framed the principle intellectual and artistic concerns of 20th and 21st century Western culture. In short, the revolutionary significance of Nietzsches thought is that he posed the question that would cast a shadow over modernism: How ought a person to lead her/his life in the aftermath of Gods death? Where might a person turn for those values and purposes in terms of which human beings can make decisions, become more fully themselves, and relate to others? From what do such values and purposes gain their legitimacy?

While taking Nietzsches provocative announcement as a point of departure, but without assuming its accuracy, this introductory course will resurrect the oldest of philosophical puzzles: What is a good life? Indeed, what is it, and how is it to be achieved? How important is self-knowledge to gaining it? What are the relationships among self-knowledge, self-fulfillment, and personal freedom? Are any of these worthy objectives possible without a clear sense of the summum bonum [the supreme good(s)] that ought to give direction to our decisions and actions? What have some of the greatest thinkers and artists thought the summum bonum to be? Are their differences reconcilable or irreconcilable? If the former, how? If the latter, are we fated for some form of radical relativism? The quest for answers to the above questions will take us on an exploratory journey of the darker side of human existence as analyzed by six great philosophers and represented imaginatively in classic works of literature. The content of this course will, therefore, represent another departure from a typical introduction to philosophy. In addition to a seemingly nontraditional starting point or focus, the course will feature texts not characteristically thought of as philosophical. The justification for doing so will, we believe, become apparent as the semester progresses. Reference was made above to the darker side of human existence because in our exploration we will be reading about and discussing experiences and/or circumstances that introduce an element of chaos into our lives. Chaos manifests itself in numerous ways, among them the different kinds of personal turmoil that seem to be a natural part of the human condition. Some problems are more or less age specific, with fear of unpopularity looming larger in early-to-late adolescence and young adulthood; whereas, deaths shadow is of greater concern to the aged. Other difficulties (Do I have enough money?) appear to be equal-opportunitytormentors. Most people are familiar with unpopularity; insufficient money; frustration because hoped-for goals cannot be accomplished; sexual, intellectual, physical, or social inadequacy; a broken heart; and/or the specter of meaninglessness in their lives. Chaos may be too strong a word for these all-too-human experiences, but their power to disrupt, often in dramatic and painful ways, is well known and equally well documented. Although the course is intended as an introduction to philosophy, it might justly be entitled: The Consolations of Philosophy and Literature: Sources of Order in the Midst of Chaos. Course Objectives: From the semesters readings, films, lectures, and recitation session discussions we will seek for such consolations as philosophy and literature have to offer, relief in the form of strategies for achieving order in our lives as well as some degree of personal freedom. Either implicitly or explicitly, these strategies contain within themselves

different answers to such basic questions as: How should I conduct my life? What is most worthwhile in life? How should I relate to others? Which forms of authority are legitimate and which illegitimate? And what might serve as the basis for moral decision making? Other course objectives, secondary but nevertheless important, will be to develop and sharpen skills for: (1) close and thoughtful reading of significant, primary texts; (2) the formation of independent judgments about these texts; and (3) writing and speaking clearly and cogently. Texts: Alain de Botton. The Consolations of Philosophy Plato. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo Sophocles. The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone Friedrich Nietzsche. Thus Spoke Zarathustra William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet Margaret Edson. Wit Samuel Becket. Waiting for Godot C. P. Taylor. Good These texts can be purchased at the Penn Book Center, 34th and Sansom Streets. In addition, students will need to purchase a packet of Xeroxed philosophical material, containing readings by Epicurus, Seneca, Montaigne, and Schopenhauer. Packets are available for purchase at the Campus Copy Center, 3907 Walnut Street. One additional reading assignment (T.S. Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock) is posted on the Universitys Blackboard site for this course. Finally, four film viewings will be required. The films are: Wit; Thirteen Conversations about One Thing; Romeo and Juliet; and The Lives of Others. All films are on Reserve in the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center and can be viewed there privately or in small groups. Weekly Topics August 28 August 30 Sept. 2 Sept. 4 Sept. 6 Sept. 9 Sept. 11 Sept. 13

Review of Syllabus. Some thoughts about philosophy. Recitation Sessions University Holiday. Labor Day Some thoughts about literature and its role in course. Recitations Sessions Overview of Platos philosophy: Part 1 Overview of Platos philosophy: Part 2. Comments on de Bottons chapter on Socrates. Recitation Sessions

Sept. 16 Sept. 18 Sept. 20 Sept. 23 Sept. 25 Sept. 27 Sept. 30 Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 7 * Oct. 9 Oct. 11 Oct. 14 Oct. 16 * Oct. 18 Oct. 21 Oct. 23 Oct. 25 Oct. 28 Oct. 30 Nov. 1 Nov. 4 Nov. 6 * Nov. 8 Nov. 11

Plato. Euthyphro Plato. Meno Part 1 Recitation Sessions Plato. Meno Part 2 Plato. Apology Recitation Sessions Plato. Crito Sophocles. Antigone Recitation Sessions Margaret Edison. Wit Both the play and the film. Epicurus. Ch. 2 of de Botton and primary source materials of Epicurus. Recitation Sessions Seneca. Ch. 3 of de Botton and primary source materials by Seneca. 13 Conversations About One Thing Recitation Sessions Mid-Semester Exam Montaigne. Part 1: Of Experience (pp. 815-835; 850-857) and Ch. 4 of de Botton Recitation Sessions Montaigne. Part 2: Of Experience (pp. 815-835; 850-857) and Ch. 4 of de Botton T. S. Eliot. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Recitation Sessions Schopenhauer. The Metaphysics of Sexual Love and Ch. 5 of de Botton Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. Both play and film Recitation Sessions Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. Both play and film. The film version we want you to see is the Baz Luhrmann production, starring Leonard Decaprio and Claire Danes. Overview of Nietzsches philosophy. Part 1 Recitation Sessions Overview of Nietzsches philosophy. Part 2 Nietzsche. Ch. 6 of de Botton.

Nov. 13 Nov. 15 Nov. 18 Nov. 20

Nov. 22 Nov. 25

Recitation Sessions Nietzsche and The Three Metamorphoses Reading assignment from Thus Spoke Zarathustra: pp. 3-54; 58-69; 74-79; 85-88; 9096; 113-116; 167-172; and 196-215 Beckett. Waiting for Godot Recitation Sessions C.P. Taylor. Good The Lives of Others Recitation Sessions Summation

Nov. 27 Nov. 29 Dec. 2 Dec. 4 * Dec. 6 Dec. 9

Prior to dates on which films will be discussed in class and in recitation sessions, students will be expected to have viewed the films and be prepared to discuss them. All films are on Reserve in the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center and can be viewed there privately or in small groups.

Course Requirements: 1. Attendance at all classes, both lectures and recitation sessions; a close reading (or viewing in the case of films) of assignments prior to each class/recitation session; and active participation in recitation sessions. Attendance and participation will be taken into account in assigning final grades. We meet twice weekly for lectures (Monday and Wednesday) from 12:00 noon.12:50 p.m., Stiteler Hall, #B-26 and once weekly, on Fridays, for small group recitation sessions. There are four recitation groups to which students will be assigned. Their meeting times and locations are as follows: a. Phil 001201 F 10-11:00am Cohen #337 b. Phil 001202 - F 11-12noon Cohen #337 c. Phil 001203 F 12noon-1:00pm Cohen #392 d. Phil 001204 F 1-2:00pm Cohen #392 2. There will be one in-class, mid-semester exam (Monday, October 21) and one final exam (date and location TBA.) In addition, there will be two short (3-5 pages) papers assigned by the TAs in the recitation sessions. Helpful Reference Materials: 1. As you begin your study of philosophy, you will find the following reference papers by Professor Jim Pryor helpful. I encourage you to read them early in the semester. Guidelines on Reading Philosophy http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/reading.html What is an Argument? http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/vocab/argument.html Vocabulary Describing Arguments http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/vocab/validity.html

Some Good and Bad Forms of Argument http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/vocab/goodbad.html Analyzing Concepts http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/vocab/analyses.html A Philosophical Glossary for Beginners http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/vocab/glossary.html Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html 2. As a general reference source, the following online encyclopedia is excellent: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://plato.stanford.edu Course Grade: Approximately 60% of the final grade will be based on scores received on the two exams; 25% on scores received on assigned papers; and 15% on lecture/recitation session attendance and the quality of recitation session participation. Office Hours: We prefer to meet with students at mutually agreeable times and places. However, to provide some semblance of structure, one or both of us will be available weekly on campus, Mondays, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., Cohen Hall, Office # 466. In addition, on Thursdays, from 4:00 6:00 p.m., a maximum of 15 students are invited to our home, 156 N. 3rd Street in Old City Philadelphia, for coffee/tea and conversation. There will be a first-come-first-included, sign-up sheet at the end of each Wednesdays lecture. E-Mail Addresses: Pam Riley: pam.riley4@gmail.com Gresham Riley: greshamriley@gmail.com Aditi Chaturvedi: aditic@sas.upenn.edu Jordan Taylor: jordt@sas.upenn.edu