PHILOSOPHY SYLLABUS

CONTENT: This course covers the history and theories of philosophy from the Egyptians to the modern-day, including—among others— Ptah-Hotep, Ipuwer, the pre-Socratic Greeks, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Saint Paul, Thomas Aquinas, Bacon, Spinoza, Locke, Descartes, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.

REQUIREMENTS: Students will do the following:

1. Read the assigned parallel text.

2. Read primary and secondary material as assigned.

3. Read from Durant.

4. Maintain a journal of personal reflections.

5. Participate in class discussion.

6. Respond to essay questions.

7. Produce a personal philosophy by the end of the semester.

8. Do other assignments as directed.

THE PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY: This is a critical and important part of the Philosophy course. Each student will produce an artifact illustrating his own personal philosophy. This artifact cannot be a written document alone; it must be a concrete artifact in a medium of the student’s choice. This artifact must illuminate the student’s personal philosophy and must be an intellectually valuable creation.

PARALLEL READINGS:

1. Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.

2. One other book.